


Always a Ranger

by Shadowblade217



Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers S.P.D.
Genre: Basically "What if Once a Ranger happened during S.P.D. instead of during Operation Overdrive?"
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:47:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27399736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowblade217/pseuds/Shadowblade217
Summary: When Thrax, son of Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd, forms an alliance with Emperor Gruumm and renders the Space Patrol Delta Rangers powerless, the Rangers receive unexpected aid from a powerful being known as the Sentinel Knight, who brings a team of former Power Rangers together to help the S.P.D. team save the Earth.
Kudos: 11





	1. Evil Alliance

_Aboard the Terror, 2025_

The interior of the Troobian Empire's flagship was dark, filled with a dim green light. Clouds of fog swirled below the elevated pathways that ran throughout the ship.

The massive warship's command bridge was surprisingly quiet. A single figure sat on a throne, gazing blankly at the deactivated holographic display above the control panel.

Emperor Gruumm, the ruler of the Troobian Empire, sat alone, meditating upon his recent efforts to conquer Planet Earth. His glowing red eyes were dim, indicating that he was lost in thought.

The sound of footsteps on the floor drew his attention, as the form of a woman clad in a purple-and-black dress flounced into the room.

Gruumm scowled, his eyes lighting up. "Morgana," he growled. "Why have you disturbed me?"

"Apologies, Emperor," Morgana replied, smirking. "I was bored." She glanced idly at the screen. "When are we going after the Rangers again?"

"As soon as I develop a new strategy," Gruumm intoned. "I assure you, it will not take long."

Morgana was about to reply, when they were interrupted by a beeping alert from the control panel.

"What is that sound?" Gruumm demanded, lurching to his feet.

"Looks like there's a transmission coming in," Morgana murmured, manipulating the controls. "Let's see here... got it!" She straightened up in satisfaction.

With a flash of green light, a small box, looking something like a silver-and-red clamshell, materialized on top of the control panel.

Morgana frowned curiously, picking it up and opening it. A green glow shone from the interior.

 _"Greetings, enemy of Earth,"_ a harsh, grating voice greeted them from within the open box. _"I know you seek to conquer the planet. I can help, if you will meet with me."_

Gruumm's eyes flashed in anger. "I need no help," he snarled, snatching the box from Morgana's hand and tossing it to the floor. As soon as it hit the ground, however, a beam of green light shot out from the interior and enveloped Gruumm and Morgana. With a flash of light, they vanished.

* * *

As the light faded, Morgana looked around wide-eyed, taking in her surroundings. They were now standing in a dimly-lit room, similar to some kind of dungeon. A large circular table sat in the center of the room, with a small fire-pit set into the middle of it.

Gruumm strode forward, his red eyes glowing as he tightened his grip on his staff. "Who dares to bring me here?!" he snapped, his voice echoing in the room.

"Ah, excellent," the same rasping voice from the message said. "You're here already."

The speaker emerged from the shadows, revealing a face that was almost as terrifying as Gruumm's skull-like visage. He was clad in black-and-silver body armor over a red bodysuit. Two downwards-curving horns grew from the sides of his head, above his ears. Most of his head was covered by red armor, with what looked like half of a helmet and visor covering the left side of his face: the right side was bare, but the teeth on his lower jaw jutted out without a lip to cover them. His gleaming yellow eyes were focused intently on the two villains who stood before him. To Morgana's surprise, he didn't seem to be the slightest bit afraid of them.

"Who are you, and why did you bring me here?" Gruumm demanded. "Answer or die!"

"Calm yourself, Emperor Gruumm," the newcomer said, a cruel smile spreading across his hideous face. "I mean you no harm. Quite the opposite, in fact. But I'm getting ahead of things: first of all, allow me to introduce myself." His eyes glittered. "My name is Thrax."

Morgana's eyes widened. "Thrax? I've heard of you. Weren't you banished and locked away forever?"

"As you can see, that's not the case," Thrax replied casually. His eyes narrowed. "Many years ago, I was imprisoned by a powerful being known as the Sentinel Knight. He sought to bring me to justice for my crimes, and used his own power to imprison me in a specially-designed prison, known as a Space Dumpster. It's used to seal away powerful evil beings such as myself. The spell worked, and I was sealed away like a rat in a trap. But evil as potent as mine cannot be contained forever. Over time, his power faded... and, as the Knight grew weaker, I grew stronger. Eventually, my prison's power weakened to the point where I was able to escape." He chuckled darkly. "After all these years, I'm free!"

"And why have you brought me here?" Gruumm's eyes blazed with indignation.

"Simple enough," Thrax replied. "I have a proposal for you, my lord." He tilted his head. "I've been observing your attempts to conquer Earth for some time, and it seems to me that there's only only thing keeping you from achieving your goal... the Power Rangers."

"Well, that's true enough," Morgana muttered. "But you didn't just bring us here to critique us... so why did you do it?"

Thrax smiled. "She's a bright one." His mood turned more serious. "I brought you here to offer my advice: if there's only one thing stopping you, eliminate the problem at its source. Focus all your efforts on taking out the Rangers."

"Did you have anything _useful_ to contribute?" Gruumm hissed.

"Actually, yes." Thrax nodded. "I also want to offer my help. The Rangers are strong, yes... but we're stronger, if we work together."

"Out of the question!" Gruumm spat. "I do not need help from anyone, much less the likes of you!"

"Oh, relax," Thrax replied. "I'm proposing a _temporary_ alliance. I have no interest in conquering Earth: once the Rangers are gone, I'll be on my way, and you can vaporize the whole planet for all I care. All I want is to see the Rangers destroyed. And, fortunately for you, I know exactly how to do it." He extended one hand. "So? Do we have a deal? Earth, in exchange for the destruction of the Rangers?"

Gruumm considered for a long moment, his eyes still smoldering dangerously. But Morgana could see that he was seriously contemplating the offer. Even he had to have heard of Thrax's reputation, and the idea did have merit.

Finally, the Troobian Emperor nodded, shaking Thrax's hand. "We have a deal," he rumbled. His grip tightened, and his eyes flashed. "But do not mistake me, Thrax: if you fail, I will personally end your existence. Are we clear?"

Thrax smirked. "I would expect nothing less. Now, let us begin."

* * *

_Space Patrol Delta Base_

_New Tech City_

Commander Anubis Cruger sat in his command chair, contemplating recent events. The scale of the Troobian attacks had been slowly increasing in recent months, as if Gruumm was building up to something bigger. Cruger couldn't explain the sensation of unease that he had felt, but he rarely doubted his instincts, especially with regard to Gruumm.

"Commander?" A female voice called his name, drawing his attention to Dr. Kat Manx, who had been examining various readouts on one of the Command Center's computers.

Cruger straightened in his chair. "Yes?"

"I'm picking up a strange energy signature in the industrial sector. I'd recommend sending the Rangers to investigate."

After considering for a moment, Cruger nodded. "Very well. Sound the alert."

Kat nodded, pressing a button on her control panel to activate the base's alarm and intercom. " _Power Rangers, report to Delta Command,_ " she called out, her voice echoing from speaker all over the base, as the familiar alarms began to blare.

Within a few minutes, the Space Patrol Delta B-Squad team of Power Rangers hurried into the Command Center.

"What's new, Commander?" Jack Landors inquired as his companions lined up behind him.

"I'm picking up an unusual energy reading in the industrial sector of the city," Kat explained. "I'd like you to look into it."

Sky Tate frowned. "What kind of energy reading?"

"I'm not sure," Kat replied, checking the readouts on the computer again. "I've never seen anything like this before."

"We're on it," Jack replied promptly. "Let's go." At his direction, the five Rangers jogged out of the command center, heading towards the parking garage where their transportation was parked.

Cruger frowned as he watched them go, feeling an unexplainable chill running down his spine.

Kat noticed his disquiet. "Doggie, are you all right?" she asked.

Cruger nodded. "Yes, I'm fine," he reassured her. Inwardly, however, he could not shake the feeling that something was wrong.

* * *

_New Tech City, industrial sector_

The black-and-white Jeep with the insignia of S.P.D. emblazoned on its side pulled up in an industrial yard near where Kat's sensors had pinpointed the unknown energy surge. The five Rangers exited the car and walked forward, glancing around nervously.

"Any idea what we're looking for?" Jack muttered.

"Not a clue," Elizabeth "Z" Delgado replied. She frowned. "But something doesn't feel right about this place."

"No kidding," Sydney Drew commented. Her brow furrowed. "This place just screams creepy."

"Well, whatever caused that energy surge is here someplace," Sky pointed out. "So let's find it, and then we can get out of here."

Walking forward, Bridge Carson looked around curiously, his eyes flicking back and forth as he surveyed everything within visual range. Other than construction vehicles and piles of sand, gravel and rubble, the construction lot appeared to be deserted.

At that moment, an idea occurred to him, and he grinned. "Hang on, guys," he said confidently, pulling off one of his fingerless gloves. "Let me take a quick scan of the area, see if I can pick up whatever's causing that energy surge."

Taking a step forward in front of the others, Bridge held out his bare hand, activating his genetic power of psychometry. His hand began to glow with a luminous green light, which expanded like a cloud when he waved his hand in an arc in front of him.

At first, he didn't see anything, even though his ability enabled him to see through the piles of sand and gravel as if they were transparent. The only people he was picking up were the other four Rangers.

And then, quite suddenly, he sensed someone else. A momentary flash of a dark, evil presence, so chilling that he almost recoiled involuntarily. His eyes widened, and he gasped.

The others immediately noticed. "Bridge?" Sky asked, a note of worry in his voice. "What's wrong?"

Bridge managed to regain his voice, but before he could say anything, there was a sudden rushing sound in the air around him, and a massive explosion erupted just behind them, sending all five Rangers flying.

Jack scrambled to his feet, looking around unsteadily. _What the hell was that?_

"Ah, if it isn't the world-famous Power Rangers," a harsh, rasping voice called out from within a cloud of smoke produced by the explosion. "Such a pleasure to meet you."

As all eyes turned to him, the speaker stepped out into the sunlight, revealing a hideous, twisted visage: part-humanoid, part-mechanical, and completely terrifying. He was carrying a long staff, made from some kind of silver metal, with a large Z-shape on one end.

"Who the hell are you?" Jack yelled challengingly. He couldn't recognize this creature, but something about him seemed familiar.

"I'm sure you'd love to know, so I'll oblige you," the creature replied. He chuckled. "I am Thrax, son of Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd, and the orchestrator of your doom!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone, and welcome to my newest story, Always a Ranger! This story was inspired by a fairly simple plot bunny that occurred to me a while back: What if Thrax had come to Earth during the events of Power Rangers S.P.D. instead of during Operation Overdrive? With that in mind, the overall plot of this story will be similar to the events of the Operation Overdrive episode "Once a Ranger" (hence the title of this story), but it will also have some significant differences. Can't wait to see how it turns out! :)


	2. The Dark Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thrax takes on the S.P.D. team, and things quickly go from bad to worse for the Rangers.

_New Tech City, 2025_

Thrax laughed, raising his staff and spreading his arms. "So, you're the world-famous Space Patrol Delta. I must say, I'm not particularly impressed."

"What do you want?" Sky demanded.

A cruel smile spread across the alien's face. "It's quite simple, really. I want to be a part of the end of the Power Rangers!"

Before they could react, he swung the staff forwards, and a blast of black-and-white lightning erupted from the Z-shape at the end of the staff, striking the ground all around the five cadets. Explosions and sparks burst upwards all around them, blasting them off their feet.

Groaning in pain, Jack picked himself up, his teammates gathering to him. "All right, then," he muttered. "If that's how it's gonna be."

All five Cadets lined up, facing Thrax as a united front. In unison, they removed their Morphers from the holsters at their hips, bracing themselves.

"Ready!" Jack shouted.

" _Ready!_ " the other four chorused.

" _S.P.D. Emergency!_ " With a blaze of multicolored light, all five of them were encased by their familiar protective suits. Drawing their weapons, they entered fighting stances.

Thrax tilted his head. "Interesting." He considered for a moment, before flourishing his own staff and entering a poised stance of his own. "Come at me, then."

With yells, the Rangers charged.

Rushing forwards, Thrax blocked an attack from Sky, who was in the lead, and then pivoted, slamming a kick into the Blue Ranger's abdomen and flooring him. He whirled, spinning his staff and slashing it across Jack and Sydney's stomachs, producing showers of sparks and taking them both down. Bridge and Z rushed him simultaneously, but he parried their attacks, felling Bridge with another blow from the Z-shaped end of the staff and slamming the other end backwards into Z's stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

All five Rangers were back on him within seconds, but Thrax was more than capable of handling them. He fought back with surprising skill, blocking, dodging and deflecting their attacks. One by one, they went down again, staggering away or tumbling into nearby piles of rubble.

Another burst of lightning knocked Z and Sky sideways, but they hit the ground rolling, springing back up in time to return fire. Bolts of blue and yellow light hit the ground at Thrax's feet, staggering him, but he returned fire with a second, stronger blast of lightning, causing an explosion that catapulted them both into the air.

Sydney and Bridge charged towards him, firing as they ran, but Thrax whirled his staff, blocking the bolts of green and pink energy that they fired. Snarling, he unleashed his own blast of lightning, striking both of them and knocking them off their feet.

"Back off!" Jack yelled, racing towards Thrax and firing a continuous barrage of energy bolts from his twin Delta Blasters. The alien snarled, whirling his staff with the skill of a master to deflect the bolts, but they kept coming this time.

" _Hyaaah!_ " Jack leaped into the air, backflipping over Thrax and firing down at him continuously as he moved. This time, some of the blasts got through, detonating all around Thrax and filling the air with sparks.

With a yell of rage, Thrax whirled, slashing upwards with his staff. Before Jack could reach the ground, the blow caught him in the side, causing another burst of sparks and a yell of pain as he crashed to the ground flat on his back.

"So, this is the best you have to offer?" Thrax sneered, flexing his arms. "Really, I expected more."

* * *

Cruger, Kat and Boom stared in shock at the images captured by security cameras in the area, projected on the Command Center's holographic display screens.

"Who… who is that guy?" Boom managed.

"He mentioned that his name was Thrax," Cruger remarked. He considered. "That name seems familiar."

"It should," Kat said grimly, tapping a few keys. A hologram of Thrax materialized over the central display. "Thrax: son of former galactic overlords Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd. He's charged with the destruction of three planets and the conquest of at least a dozen more."

"Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd…" Cruger murmured. His eyes narrowed in foreboding. "I've heard of them. They were among the most evil and powerful beings in recent galactic history."

"Yes, they certainly were," Kat replied. "By accounts, before they were finally defeated, their empire was just as powerful as the Troobians are now."

Cruger made a command decision. "I'm going to help the Rangers. Kat, monitor the situation. Have Omega Ranger meet me on the way–" He was cut off as an earth tremor caused the entire room to shudder.

"What was that?" Boom questioned, as alarms immediately began blaring.

"A giant robot just appeared in the downtown sector," Kat informed them tersely. "It's a design that the Troobians have used against us before, so I'm assuming whoever's driving it is working for Gruumm."

"Okay, so that either means spectacularly bad timing, or…" Boom paused, glancing nervously between Kat and Cruger.

"Or else Gruumm and Thrax are working together," Kat confirmed, sighing. "Personally, I'm hoping for the first one."

"As am I," Cruger replied. He stood. "New plan: dispatch Omega Ranger to intercept that robot. I'll go help the others."

"Yes, sir," Kat confirmed.

Withdrawing a black-and-gold Patrol Morpher from his belt, Cruger stepped forwards into the middle of the room, raising it in front of him and moving into the familiar stance. " _S.P.D. Emergency!_ " he called out, initiating his own morphing sequence.

* * *

Another explosion took the Rangers off their feet again. Groaning, Jack picked himself up, to see Thrax leisurely approaching, idly twirling his staff.

"Okay," Jack muttered. "I've had about enough of this guy." He raised his Morpher again, readying himself. "Ready to take it up a notch?"

"You know it," Sky replied immediately.

Simultaneously, the five Rangers raised their Morphers above their heads, calling out " _S.P.D. S.W.A.T. Mode!_ " With a flash of light, additional armor materialized over their torsos, and headsets appeared on the sides of their heads. A double-barreled energy rifle materialized above each of their heads and dropped lightly into their waiting hands.

Thrax nodded. "Interesting. Let's try this again." He smirked, entering a fighting stance once more.

Newly powered up, all five Rangers charged, unleashing a hail of rapid-fire energy bolts from their Delta Enforcers. This time, it was considerably more difficult for Thrax to deflect their attacks, forcing him to leap backwards to gain some distance. He unleashed a blast of lightning from his staff, forcing Sky and Bridge to jump to one side to avoid it, but Jack, Z and Sydney kept coming. They were on him before he could mount a counterattack, landing blows with their Enforcers.

Snarling, Thrax whirled his staff, landing a blow to Z's side that knocked her away, and then whirled, kicking Sydney's feet out from under had and sending her sprawling. He turned just in time to block a downward swing from Jack's Enforcer with his own staff, holding the Red Ranger in a momentary stalemate.

"Just give up!" Thrax snarled.

"Not a chance!" Jack shot back. He landed a kick to Thrax's stomach, knocking the alien back a step and giving him room to backflip away. "Guys, now!"

Too late, Thrax noticed Sky and Bridge, now standing just a few yards away with Delta Enforcers raised. Before he could react, they opened fire.

Half a dozen energy bolts struck Thrax, detonating and causing bursts of pain. Hissing in anger, he charged, whirling his staff and parrying their continued fire as he rushed forward.

"Bridge, look out!" Sky shouted in a warning as he realized that their fire wasn't slowing Thrax down. Before they could dodge, the alien reached them, swinging his staff in a vicious arc, bringing the Z-shape slicing across their chests.

With two explosions of sparks, both Sky and Bridge were flung backwards, crashing to the ground. They lay groaning, trying to pick themselves up.

Z and Syd came to a halt behind Thrax, firing a quick volley of bolts. Snarling as the blasts tore up the ground around him in showers of sparks, he whirled to face them, raising his staff as arcs of electricity crackled up and down it.

"You think you can defeat me with power like that?" he grated. "Take _this!_ " With a roar, he shoved the staff forwards, generating a massive blast of black-and-white lightning. The blast struck the ground around the two female Rangers, triggering a colossal explosion that sent them both flying into the air.

"Hey!" Jack yelled from a few yards away. "This isn't over yet!"

Thrax turned, grinning as he saw the Red Ranger standing defiantly before him. "Try me, then," he called out.

Just as Jack started forwards, he and Thrax were both interrupted by the roar of a powerful engine. A moment later, a powerful blue-and-red energy beam struck the ground just behind Thrax, the resulting explosion and shockwave flooring the evil alien.

The engine's roar petered off as a familiar blue ATV with silver highlights pulled up a few yards away. Cruger, his features concealed by the helmet of his Shadow Ranger suit, hopped off the vehicle and advanced forward, until he was standing beside Jack.

"See to your friends, Jack," he said confidently, facing Thrax. "I've got this one."

"You sure, Commander?" Jack inquired. "He's a tough one."

Cruger nodded firmly, his voice warm. "Rest assured, Jack: if I need your help, I won't hesitate to ask for it. For now, make sure your teammates are all right."

Nodding, Jack hurried off towards where his teammates had fallen to check on them. Cruger, meanwhile, strode towards Thrax, drawing his sword.

"Ah, you must be the Commander," Thrax remarked, chuckling as he raised his staff into a battle stance. "I'm intrigued: you might be more of a challenge than your Cadets were. Very well, then: show me what you've got!"

"Gladly," Cruger replied, entering a fighting stance and raising his sword in front of him in a warrior's salute. " _Shadow Saber, power up!_ " he called out, the sword's blade lighting up with a pale blue glow.

Thrax grinned, his staff sparking with electricity. "Shall we?"

Cruger remained motionless, poised. "Indeed."

"Very well, then." With that, Thrax charged, his staff raised and swinging for Cruger's head.

At the last second, the Sirian Commander twisted to the side, skillfully parrying Thrax's lunge with a sweep of his sword and lashing out with his own lightning-fast strike aimed at the alien's chest. Thrax countered, blocking the downward swing with a backhand and swinging a kick at Cruger's legs. The blow missed, but Cruger had been forced onto the defensive, and Thrax immediately rushed forward, swinging his staff in a series of whirling arcs as he drove his opponent backwards across the industrial lot.

* * *

Sam, the Omega Ranger, whooped in glee as he leaped into the cockpit of his Omegamax Cycle, roaring down the broad boulevard towards the source of the latest attack.

The entity responsible became clearly visible as he got closer: a giant robot, as advertised, with dull gray armor and carrying a sword and shield.

Sam quickly punched in the necessary commands on his control panel. "Megazord mode, activate!" he commanded.

With a series of clanks and whirs as the machinery went to work, the massive cycle transformed, rising up into the familiar form of Sam's personal Megazord.

"Right, then," the Omega Ranger said cheerfully, his gaze focusing on the robot. "Let's see what you're made of!"

With a wave of the Megazord's arms, twin massive swords materialized, projecting from its wrists. The Megazord brought its arms together, crossing the blades with a ringing _clang_ , and entered a fighting stance.

"Punch it!" Sam called, slamming on the accelerator.

The Megazord charged, striding forwards and raising the blades on its arms, a moment before it collided with the robot with a thunderous impact, clashing in battle.

* * *

To the other five Rangers, watching from a short distance away, the fight between Cruger and Thrax looked like a high-speed dance. The two combatants clashed again and again, staff against sword, each warrior giving it his all. Arcs of electricity and showers of sparks crackled around them.

"Give up!" Thrax snarled, slashing at Cruger's head. "You're no match for my power!"

"I disagree!" Cruger shot back, ducking under the blow and kicking out at Thrax's legs, driving him back. The alien snarled, lashing out with a blast of black-and-white lightning, but Cruger backflipped away, dodging the attack and landing on the other side of the lot.

"I've had enough of you," Thrax spat, raising his staff into an on-guard position. "Let's finish this."

"Fine by me." Cruger settled into a practiced warrior's stance, his Shadow Saber raised to strike. " _Shadow Saber, full power!_ " At his shout, a blazing fire burst to life around his feet, swirling around him and burning with power. His sword began to glow with a brilliant blue-white light.

Thrax's yellow eyes narrowed. He too focused his power to its maximum, arcs of electricity crackling up and down the length of his staff.

Simultaneously, they charged. " _Hraaaaa–_ " came the cry from both of their throats, the two warriors running full-speed towards each other.

They collided in the middle of the construction lot with a thunderclap and an explosion of energy, their weapons slicing into each other and leaving cracking trails of energy in their wake. The warriors' momentum carried them past each other, and they skidded to a halt, facing in opposite directions, weapons still extended.

There was a moment of silence, and then showers of sparks burst from both combatants where they'd been struck. They both staggered, nearly falling, but neither did.

Cruger turned wearily to face his opponent, the other Rangers hurrying up to support him. "It's over, Thrax," he warned. "You can't even beat me: what chance do you have against all of us?"

Thrax, leaning on his staff with steam rising from his body, chuckled darkly. "You do have a point, Commander." His eyes glittered malevolently. "But you didn't think I'd be foolish enough to try taking on the Power Rangers _alone_ , did you?"

Abruptly, a concentrated beam of red energy slammed into the ground directly behind the six Rangers, and detonated. The massive explosion sent all the Rangers flying, and they tumbled helplessly to the ground.

"Are you all right, Commander?" Jack called, clambering to his feet.

"I'm fine," Cruger assured him. His eyes widened inside his helmet as he saw the source of the energy blast.

With the roar of an engine, a motorcycle made from some kind of dark brown metal, designed to look as if it were made from bone, rolled up next to Thrax. Seated upon it was Emperor Gruumm, his eyes burning red. Morgana sat behind him, a cruel smirk on her face.

"Gruumm," Cruger growled under his breath.

"You know, Thrax," Morgana remarked offhandedly, "I'm a little disappointed. Seems to me like you said you could destroy the Rangers."

"I can handle these ones," Thrax hissed, indicating the five human Rangers. "However, their Commander is much more powerful than his soldiers."

"I am well aware of that," Gruumm rumbled. "Stay clear of him, Thrax." He stepped off the bike, his eyes burning like coals. "Cruger is _mine_."

Thrax bowed deferentially. "By all means, Emperor, lead the way."

As Thrax spoke, a mass of Troobian foot soldiers seemed to materialize out of thin air, hurrying into place behind the trio of villains. Dozens of Krybots, Blueheads and Orangeheads lined up, weapons ready.

"Oh, great," Jack muttered under his breath. "That's all we need."

"Cruger!" Gruumm boomed, his voice echoing across the construction lot, as Thrax and Morgana flanked him. "I have had enough of you, your precious S.P.D., and this whole worthless planet!" His eyes blazed. " _This… ends…_ _ **now!**_ " His own staff glowed with red light, and he swung it forward, unleashing a blast of crackling purple lightning that struck the ground all around the Rangers, igniting a powerful explosion and blasting them off their feet once more.


	3. Powerless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The S.P.D. Rangers take on the Evil Alliance, and Thrax unveils the most devastating aspect of his master plan.

_New Tech City, 2025_

The Rangers picked themselves up, raising their guard for the impending charge of the Troobian soldiers. Cruger and Jack stood at the front, the commander's sword and Jack's Enforcer raised.

"Your time has come, Rangers!" Thrax hissed, his yellow eyes burning with a cold hatred. "Your kind ruined my parents, polluting them with goodness and robbing them of their power and heritage. Now, I shall avenge them, by destroying the legacy of the Power Rangers once and for all!"

"Enough talk!" Gruumm snarled, his own red eyes flashing as he raised his staff. " _Attack!_ " he roared.

With a chorus of roars and snarls, the Troobian forces charged.

"Come on, Rangers!" Jack yelled, raising his Enforcer. "Let's do it!"

" _Right!_ " the others chorused.

The six Rangers ran forward, racing headlong into the teeth of the Troobian army.

* * *

Gruumm roared towards Cruger on his cycle, snarling as he armed the bike's laser cannon. As soon as he was within range, he opened fire, sending a salvo of deadly beams screaming towards the Shadow Ranger.

Cruger ducked and dodged frantically, barely avoiding the blasts as they tore up the ground around him. Putting a surge of energy into his legs, he leaped high into the air as Gruumm neared him, raising his Shadow Saber for a downward strike.

Just as Cruger reached the apex of his jump, Gruumm yanked back on the bike's handlebars, rearing the front end of the cycle up until the cannon was aimed directly at Cruger. Another beam fired, this one hitting the S.P.D. Commander squarely in the chest and engulfing him in a powerful explosion. Cruger spun uncontrollably to the ground, trailing smoke, and landed hard. He scrambled to his feet, raising his sword again, as Gruumm circled and came around for another pass.

This time, however, the Troobian Emperor was prepared. He raised his staff, channeling his full power down it and charging up a crackling mass of purple electricity, before slashing the staff into Cruger's torso and unleashing the blast at point-blank range. Cruger was hurled backwards, tumbling across the ground, and this time he did not get back up.

* * *

Thrax barreled straight for Jack like a charging bull, whirling his staff. Jack met the alien's strike with a sweeping blow of his Enforcer, but he was quickly overwhelmed, sent staggering backwards as he desperately tried to keep up with his opponent. In addition to having the advantage in reach, Thrax was a masterful hand-to-hand fighter.

Trying to gain some distance, Jack backflipped high into the air, arming his double-barreled Enforcer and unleashing a rapid-fire volley of shots. Thrax's staff spun and twirled, batting aside the incoming bolts, as he leaped straight up after Jack with no hesitation, whirling his staff. Each fighter landed a blow to the other in midair, Jack kicking Thrax in the stomach while the alien landed a raking blow across the Red Ranger's chest with his staff. Sparks flew from the point of impact, and Jack let out a cry of pain as he lost control of his jump and plummeted to earth. He slammed into the ground and lay there for a moment, groaning, the wind knocked out of him.

Thrax landed lightly on his feet, turning to face the fallen Ranger and twirling his staff in a leisurely fashion as he advanced. "Come now, Ranger," he sneered. "Surely you must have more fight in you than that!"

Jack growled, hauling himself to his feet and readying himself. "All right," he snapped. "Let's see how you like this!" Raising his Morpher, he readied himself for the transformation into his powered-up Battlizer form.

Thrax sneered. "I don't think so!" Holding his staff out to one side, he began spinning it, flicking the grip from one hand to the other, twirling it to the left, then the right, all around his body, arcs of electricity crackling up and down the metal, before finally snapping it forward, sending the supercharged torrent of black-and-white lightning directly at Jack. The Red Ranger had no time to react or transform before the blast smashed into him, overwhelming his defenses and hurling him backwards across the abandoned lot, lifting him high into the air before the accumulated energy detonated, engulfing him in a massive fireball. Jack fell to the ground, slamming into the dust. He lay there, groaning for a few seconds, before his suit dematerialized in a flash of red light.

* * *

Sky and Bridge fought back-to-back, blasting away with their Enforcers as they raked the charging mass of Troobian robot soldiers with energy bolts. Win or lose, they were prepared to go down fighting.

At first, it wasn't too difficult; dozens of Troobians were gunned down, blasted apart before they could reach the Rangers. But they just kept on coming, charging over the bodies of their companions, an unstoppable tide. Before long, the two Rangers were dragged apart, lashing out wildly in every direction. Sparks flew from their bodies as the robotic soldiers' attacks began to do damage, cracks and burns being scored into their suits.

For a moment, the mass of Krybots in front of them parted, revealing a column of Orangeheads and Blueheads – the more advanced foot soldiers in the Troobian arsenal – forming up to face the two Rangers. Before Sky and Bridge could react, the column of robots unleashed a furious barrage of energy blasts that smashed into the Blue and Green Rangers, tearing into their suits and tossing them away through the air amid an explosion of flames.

* * *

Morgana went straight for Z and Syd, her armored helmet snapping shut over her face as she charged. The Yellow and Pink Rangers raised their Enforcers and opened fire, but Gruumm's deadly second-in-command leaped high into the air, vaulting over the Rangers' barrage, and flipped, landing behind them and slashing down their backs with the wickedly-curved blades that extended from her forearms. Both Rangers cried out in pain, staggering uncontrollably forwards before spinning to face their adversary.

"Gotta say, I've been looking forward to this," Morgana sneered as she stalked forward. "Thrax had it right, I guess. All we needed to do was split you up, and then it's easy to take you down."

"Back off!" Syd snarled, firing a volley from her Enforcer. The bolts struck the ground all around Morgana, but the villainess dodged through the blasts, raking one of her blades across the Pink Ranger's midsection with a shower of sparks and then side-kicking her in the chest, knocking her flat on her back and sending her skidding away.

"Hey!" Z shouted, charging forwards with her Enforcer raised. She and Morgana collided in what resembled a street fight more than standard Ranger combat, going at it hammer and tongs, neither woman planning ahead, each just trying to get in one more hit than their opponent. They were deadlocked for a few seconds, but Morgana eventually landed a slash to Z's side, and when the Yellow Ranger flinched to that side, the older woman was able to sweep Z's legs out from under her, landing another blow as she fell and knocking the wind out of her.

"You okay?" Syd asked anxiously as she grabbed her friend's arm, helping Z to her feet.

Z nodded shakily. "Yeah… yeah, I'm okay." She looked up over the Pink Ranger's shoulder, and her eyes snapped open wide. "Look out!"

"Fools!" Morgana cackled. The two female Rangers whirled to face her, realizing that they'd given their enemy an opening. Both of the curved blades on her forearms lit up with crackling pink energy, as she raised her arms, crossing them in front of her face. Before her opponents could react, she flung her arms out, launching a pair of energized shockwaves forwards. Both energy waves, launched in an X pattern, sliced across Z and Syd's torsos, blasting them off their feet as they involuntarily demorphed.

* * *

All six Rangers, battered and staggering, formed a ragged circle at the center of the lot. Gruumm, Morgana and Thrax stood facing them, the dozens of robot soldiers moving in to surround their defeated enemies.

"Excellent!" Thrax exulted, cackling cruelly. "At long last, the once-mighty Power Rangers are left groveling at my feet!" He turned to Gruumm and Morgana. "Now, Emperor, there is one final thing for us to do. Lend me your evil energy, so I may eliminate the Rangers once and for all!"

After a moment, Gruumm nodded. "Very well!" he snarled. "Morgana!"

"Of course, Emperor," Morgana replied with a cruel smirk. She raised a hand into the air, focusing her energy as her hands began to glow with pink light. Gruumm did the same, hoisting up his staff and sending a surge of deep purple electricity into the air around them, his eyes blazing red.

Thrax stepped forward, becoming the focal point for the three villains' combined power, his own staff lighting up with crackling black-and-white energy. Growling, he drew all the combined power into himself, using his staff as the focal point. Crisscrossing energy bolts arced through the air around the three villains, almost obscuring them from view.

"What're they doing?" Z gasped.

Bridge clutched at his head, groaning in pain; his psychometric power was normally dampened by the gloves he habitually wore, but the magnitude of the evil power building up in front of him was so great that he could sense it even through the dampeners' effects.

With a roar, Thrax hurled the barrage of evil energy outwards. Surprisingly, it wasn't aimed at the Rangers, but rather upwards, into the sky overhead. The bolts seemed to strike the heavens themselves, tearing open glowing purple rents in the very fabric of reality, which pulsed with the same sickly hue as the energy around the villains. The distortion quickly spread, racing outwards at the speed of light, enveloping the entire planet in less than a second.

For a second, Bridge swore his enhanced senses could detect… _something…_ filtering through the tears in reality, a kind of energy that he'd never sensed before. Well… almost never. The only time he'd felt anything like it before was what he experienced during the moments when he went through his Morphing sequence, when the ethereal energy of his Ranger transformation flooded his body.

_What…_ is _that?!_ he wondered.

* * *

Sam whooped in delight, as the Omega Megazord's arm-swords sliced across the giant robot with a flash of light, carving through critical components and almost severing it in two. The robot staggered drunkenly for a moment, sparks and flame erupting from its wounds, and then toppled forward, erupting into a massive fireball.

"All right!" the Omega Ranger called out. "That's what I'm talking about!" He activated his communication link with the Delta Base. "Omega Ranger to base, target destroyed!"

Suddenly, the Megazord staggered, as what felt like an earthquake rumbled through the city. Sam looked up in astonishment as an odd, purple glow cut through the blue of the sky. High above, a tracery of jagged, glowing lines, like cracks in the sky itself, appeared, tracing their way off into the horizon in all directions.

Sam's eyes widened under his helmet. "What the hell is that?!" he exclaimed, forgetting that the communication link with the base was still open.

" _I don't know,"_ Kat's voice echoed over the communication link, _"but that's not the priority right now. Commander Cruger and the other Rangers are in trouble. I need you to get there now and help them. Hurry!"_

Sam nodded. "I'm on my way!"

* * *

The light and noise died down, and the glowing tears in the sky faded away. The warping, distorting effect on reality ended, and the world seemingly returned to normal.

Z was the first one to speak up. "What the _hell_ was that?" she demanded, picking herself up.

"At this point, I don't care," Jack replied flatly. "All I'm concerned with is kicking their asses." He pointed at Thrax, Gruumm and Morgana. "This isn't over yet!"

"Right you are, Jack!" Cruger agreed.

Jack grasped his Morpher, raising it into his practiced stance. "Ready!" he yelled.

" _Ready!_ " the other five Rangers chorused, doing the same. As one, they called out the familiar cry.

" _S.P.D. Emergency!_ "

Only, this time… nothing happened.

Well, not quite _nothing_. Instead of activating the Ranger's transformations, all six Morphers let out bursts of sparks, shocking the fighters' hands and causing them to flinch back. All of the Rangers stared at their cracked, sparking Morphers with shocked expressions on their faces.

"Surprised?" Thrax chuckled, leaning on his staff and breathing heavily; the strain of casting such a powerful spell had left him severely drained. "Don't be. You see, with that spell, I've severed your connection to the Universal Morphing Grid." His eyes narrowed in sadistic glee. "Which means, _you are no longer Power Rangers!_ "

Jack glanced over at the other members of B-Squad, seeing the horrified expressions on their faces. He wracked his brain, trying to come up with a solution, but try as he might, nothing came to him. He glared at his useless Morpher, now seeing the damage that had been inflicted upon it.

_Damn it!_ he cursed inwardly. _We couldn't beat them even_ with _our powers; how the hell do we stop them now?!_

"Excellent work, Thrax," Gruumm rumbled. "Now, let us finish this, once and for all!"

"Of course, Emperor," Thrax hissed. Gruumm raised his arm, and the Troobian army readied themselves for the final charge.

"Okay, guys," Jack muttered slowly as he glanced left, then right. "I don't see how we're gonna do this. Any ideas?" No answer came. Sky's eyes narrowed as he kept his guard up, clearly ready to go down fighting. Bridge and Syd were both trembling a little, Bridge still rubbing his temples from the aftereffects of Thrax's spell, but they stood firm. Z glanced over at Jack, shrugged, and managed a shaky grin. Cruger's gaze was focused on Gruumm, hard and unyielding, as he raised his Shadow Saber.

Gruumm raised his arm, preparing to give the command, his eyes burning red pits of wrath…

And then a brilliant flash of golden light lit up the air in front of them, causing the Troobians and the now-depowered Rangers to flinch back in shock. The light faded slightly, revealing a glowing figure hovering in the air, facing the villains.

As the light ebbed enough for the team to get a good view of the mysterious new arrival, Jack was surprised to note that this figure was unlike anyone or anything he'd ever seen before. The mysterious figure was clad in glowing golden robes over gold-and-black armor, like some kind of medieval knight. A pair of luminous green eyes, giving an impression of immense age and wisdom, flicked from side to side, taking in the scene.

" _Get away from them!"_ the mysterious being thundered to the assembled villains in a deep, echoing baritone, his voice seeming to rumble through their bones.

" _You!_ " Thrax snarled, his expression instantly dissolving into one of pure hatred. Then he sneered, a twisted smirk crossing his face. "This just keeps getting better, doesn't it?"

"Whoever you are, do not interfere!" Gruumm roared, raising his staff. "Stand aside, or be destroyed!"

"No!" To the Rangers' surprise, Thrax raised an arm in front of the Troobian Emperor, stopping his advance. "You _can't_ destroy him, unfortunately." His eyes gleamed as he turned back to the glowing figure. "But I know what can."

The glowing figure glanced over his shoulder to the Rangers. _"Come, Power Rangers,"_ he intoned in an urgent tone. _"We've got to get out of here!"_ He waved his hand in an arc, there was another brilliant flash of light, and the glowing figure – along with all six Rangers – vanished into thin air.

Gruumm froze for a moment, not sure what to make of this. Then, realizing that his prey had escaped him, just at his moment of victory, he let out a roar of fury, his eyes blazing red.

"Calm yourself, Emperor!" Thrax snapped, cutting Gruumm off. The Troobian Emperor rounded on him, but the horned alien didn't seem worried. He smirked. "Let them go. They're powerless now; they shouldn't cause you any more trouble."

"So now what?" Morgana inquired.

Thrax chuckled. "Well, now that the Rangers have been dealt with, Earth is yours to plunder as you see fit. And as for me, I plan to get my revenge on the Sentinel Knight!"

After a moment, Gruumm nodded. "So be it," he growled. He thrust his staff into the air, and, with a flash of light, the three villains and their assembled army vanished, leaving the industrial lot empty and silent once more.

* * *

The brilliant flash of light faded away, and the six S.P.D. Rangers found themselves suddenly standing in the middle of the Delta Base's Command Center.

"Guys!" Boom exclaimed. He and Kat had been standing at the computer console in the center of the room, monitoring the battle, and he rushed over as soon as they appeared. Kat sent a quick message over the communications network, recalling the Omega Ranger from his mission to go assist the others, and then joined them.

"What… what happened out there?" she asked, her eyes wide in shock. "I was monitoring the battle, and all six of your Ranger energy signatures just… _vanished_. I thought you might have been…" She fell silent, unable to finish the sentence.

"We're all right, Kat," Cruger reassured her. He held up his black-and-gold Morpher, examining the extensive damage that was now visible, just like all of the others' Morphers. "Somehow, Thrax was able to sever our connection to the Morphing Grid, thereby disabling our powers."

"Hang on, quick question," Z spoke up. "So… what the hell are we supposed to do now?"

"And while we're at it," Bridge put in, "who was that guy who saved us?"

"Not that I'm complaining," Syd remarked.

" _I believe I can give you the information you need,"_ the voice from before echoed, as the glowing, golden-armored figure from before materialized in the center of the room. Kat and Boom flinched back, but the Rangers had all seen this before, and weren't as shocked as they would otherwise have been. At close range, they could now see that their mysterious benefactor wasn't as solid as they were; he was semi-transparent, like a hologram, and the observers could see the wall behind him _through_ his body.

The figure inclined his head, looking down at them. _"Greetings, Power Rangers of Space Patrol Delta. I am the Sentinel Knight. Like you, I am a defender of life and peace throughout the galaxy."_

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Cruger greeted the strange being.

The Sentinel Knight nodded in greeting. _"You as well, Commander Cruger. I wish we could have met under better circumstances. Unfortunately, however, this entire planet is now in grave danger."_

"Because of this Thrax guy, right?" Jack spoke up. "Who exactly _is_ he, by the way?"

"To put it mildly, he's very bad news," Kat explained. "Thrax's parents, Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa, were some of the worst, most infamous villains in all of history. They were the first supervillains to attack the modern-day Earth; in fact, it was their invasion that prompted the creation of Earth's first team of Power Rangers. They were defeated many years ago, but clearly, Thrax is still out for revenge."

" _He is,"_ the Sentinel Knight confirmed. _"He tried to wreak vengeance upon the Earth once before, but I was able to stop him then. Thrax possesses great power and evil despite his youth, and I did not have the strength to destroy him, but I was able to use my magic to seal him away in an enchanted prison. But eventually he escaped, and I no longer have enough power to seal him away again."_ He grew silent for a moment, his voice and attitude grave. _"This time, I fear that I cannot stop him."_

"Especially now that he's teamed up with Gruumm," Sky muttered.

" _Precisely,"_ the Knight confirmed. _"Alone, Thrax would be a significant threat, but nothing that your team could not have handled. However, by joining forces with the Troobians, he has created an evil far more potent than anything else you have faced before."_

"Especially considering what he's done to our powers," Cruger murmured.

"Yeah, I don't understand that," Boom admitted. "I mean, what _did_ he do to them, exactly?" He indicated the Rangers.

The Sentinel Knight considered that question for a moment. _"To put it simply, Thrax's spell was able to affect the Morphing Grid: the dimension from which all Power Rangers draw their morphing energy. Thrax used his spell to disrupt the inner workings of the Morphing Grid here on Earth, and severed your connections to it. By doing that, he cut these Rangers off from their morphing powers."_

Boom gulped audibly. "Well, that sounds… terrifying," he managed.

"So what do we _do?_ " Sky demanded. "How do we stop him?"

" _I am not sure if_ you _can, particularly without your powers,"_ the Sentinel Knight said sadly. He paused, perhaps thinking things over. _"But without you, the world is helpless against Thrax and the Troobian invaders."_ His voice firmed, and he seemed to reach some sort of decision. _"This cannot be allowed to happen. I must do something."_ With that, his outline rippled oddly, there was another flash of golden light, and he was gone.

For a long moment, there was silence in the Command Center.

"So," Bridge murmured quietly. "Where does that leave us, then?"

Jack pulled out his Morpher and opened it, flinching as sparks sputtered from the damaged device. Its screen was shattered, and sparks crackled from several damaged inner components. He hastily deactivated it, then sighed and looked up at the others. "Powerless," he sighed.

* * *

Gruumm stalked back onto the bridge of the _Terror_ , followed by Morgana and Thrax. "So," he rumbled. "Your strategy has succeeded… but the Rangers are still alive, and they may still be a threat to my plans for Earth."

"And what about this Sentinel Knight?" Morgana pointed out. "He's not going to be an easy target, is he?"

Thrax smiled, inclining his head. "Well, Emperor, the Rangers do still live, but apart from their comrade, the Omega Ranger, they have all been rendered powerless. Rest assured, there is nothing they can do to regain access to their Ranger powers, and as such, they are no longer a threat to your plans. As for the Sentinel Knight, I have a plan in place that will enable me to deal with him." He chuckled. "But, to make sure that our conquest will go unchallenged, even if the Rangers _do_ still have some tricks up their sleeves, I took the liberty of calling in some backup."

"Backup?" Morgana frowned. "Who?"

Thrax grinned, holding up a small signaling device and pushing a button on it. With a flash of light and a crackle of electricity, two figures materialized next to him, both dressed in golden armor. One was more animalistic in appearance, looking something like a gargoyle from a medieval cathedral, with dark blue skin, black fur and glowing red eyes, and a cruel, bestial snarl on his sharp-toothed visage. The other was a beautiful young woman with long dark hair and a confident smirk on her ruby lips.

"My dear Emperor," Thrax said with a grin, "allow me to introduce two of my parents' old friends, Goldar and Scorpina."

"Are we going to war, Lord Thrax?" Goldar growled eagerly.

"Indeed we are, my friend," Thrax replied with a smirk. "It's about time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bringing back Goldar and Scorpina was another method of mine to make sure there were some more significant villains in this story, as I'm trying to make this a more action-packed story than the original "Once a Ranger" crossover during the Operation Overdrive series. Plus, Thrax did have a lot more allies in the canon episodes than he initially did here, so this is my attempt to give the Rangers a bigger challenge to overcome.
> 
> Next chapter, the now-powerless B-Squad Rangers attempt to defend Earth against their enemies' renewed assault, and the Sentinel Knight's desperate plan comes to fruition.


	4. The Last Stand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the Sentinel Knight carries out his plan to gain reinforcements for the Rangers, Thrax launches his next attack on the citizens of Earth, forcing the powerless Rangers of S.P.D. to make a desperate last stand against their seemingly-unbeatable foes.

_Beyond time and space…_

The Sentinel Knight peered through the depths of time, his mystical powers allowing him to gaze into the past as he searched for an answer to the challenge that now faced him. He knew full-well that Thrax would not merely be satisfied with the destruction of the Power Rangers: once they were gone and Gruumm had taken whatever he wanted from Earth, Thrax would burn the entire planet if he could, as a final insult to the world that had taken his parents from him.

Unfortunately, with their connection to the Morphing Grid severed, the Power Rangers of Space Patrol Delta were no longer a match for Thrax and Gruumm. On their own, they would fail to save their planet: they would try, but they would fall, and the human race would be left to the mercy of the two merciless warlords.

There was a chance, of course, that the Rangers could find a way to regain access to their powers. But if they could not, then something else had to be done. The Earth would require new defenders if the current ones were no longer able to do so.

And, as the Knight looked back through the river of time to days gone by, he found himself lucky in one regard:

_Past or present, Earth has no shortage of defenders._

Steeling himself and summoning up his remaining powers for the task at hand, the Sentinel Knight reached out through time, selecting those individuals who seemed best-suited to the task at hand.

_Come,_ he projected, the plea serving as a beacon as it rippled through time and space. _Your world needs you once more._

And as his call echoed back into the past, to his satisfaction, it was answered.

The Sentinel Knight had been a being of pure energy for decades, with no physical face except for the emotionless visage of his helmet. But as he floated in the vortex of time, he remembered what it had once felt like to smile.

* * *

_Space Patrol Delta Base_

_New Tech City, 2025_

Jack couldn't stop his hands from shaking. He was constantly clenching and unclenching them, trying to keep his mind off of everything… especially the empty holster by his side, where his Morpher typically rested. But he couldn't stop thinking about it. One thought kept drilling its way into his mind, implacable and gut-wrenching.

_We lost._

It wasn't like he'd never lost a fight before. Growing up on the streets, he'd gotten the crap kicked out of him plenty of times. Hell, the reason he'd joined S.P.D. in the first place had been because he and Z had lost a fight to Sky, Bridge and Syd, and becoming Power Rangers had been their only way to get out of prison. And even after becoming a Ranger, he and the others had come up on the losing end of a fight plenty of times during their battles against Gruumm and his forces.

But even through all of that, he'd never felt as _hopeless_ as he did right now. He and his fellow Rangers might have lost battles before, but they'd always been able to come back stronger and do better next time. This time, though, that just wasn't possible. Thrax had done more than simply beating them: he'd _broken_ them, cutting them off from the Grid and destroying their Ranger powers. Without that… how were they supposed to protect the Earth? His team were all strong and skilled fighters even without their transformations, but not enough to really challenge Gruumm's more powerful troops. So whenever the Troobians decided to launch their next attack…

And at that exact moment, the base's warning alarms began to blare.

Jack groaned audibly, pinching the bridge of his nose. _You had to think about it, didn't you?_

"Jack!" Z called over to him as she headed for the door of the lounge. "C'mon, let's go!"

"Right, right…" Jack nodded, sighing as he picked himself up and jogged out of the room after her.

The rest of the team were already there by the time they reached the Command Center, where Cruger and Kat were examining the surveillance monitors with matching grim expressions. The Commander nodded in satisfaction as he saw them entering the room, switching off the alarms.

"What's going on, Commander?" Sky spoke up as the Rangers formed a semicircle around the room's central console.

"Bad news," Kat replied grimly. She brought up the surveillance feed that she and Cruger had been watching on the main holographic display, illustrating an image of two figures striding through a large, open park in the city center. Both figures were clad in gleaming golden armor, but other than that they looked nothing alike: one was a hulking, gargoyle-esque alien with dark blue skin and glowing red eyes, while the other was a dark-haired humanoid woman with a cruel smirk. As they watched, the woman fired a beam of golden energy from her sword, blasting a crater into the ground nearby and filling the air with the panicked screams of fleeing bystanders.

"Well, seems like Gruumm and Thrax didn't waste any time," Jack muttered.

"Who are they?" Sydney questioned, frowning as she looked more closely at the two alien attackers.

"Goldar and Scorpina," Cruger replied, his tone dark and heavy as he glowered at the screen. "Two former lieutenants of Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd, and a pair of the most infamous villains in the galaxy. They were both presumed dead after Rita and Zedd were defeated and their army was wiped out many years ago, but these two must have survived."

"I'm guessing Thrax must've sent them," Jack surmised. "That's why they're not doing anything important: they're just calling us out. Seeing if we'll take the bait."

Cruger nodded. "I agree."

"So… what do we do?" Bridge spoke up questioningly, frowning as he looked at the screen. "I mean… we don't have our Ranger powers anymore. Can we take those guys without them?"

"I'll go," Sam declared, stepping forward. "I might not be able to take them down alone, but I'm the only morph-capable Ranger we've got right now, so I have to try." He turned to Cruger, his expression unreadable as always thanks to his helmet but his attitude brisk and serious. "On your orders, sir."

Cruger was clearly hesitant, but after a long moment he nodded. "Very well," he agreed. "Go, Omega Ranger. We'll see what we can do to provide you with reinforcements."

"Understood, sir." Sam saluted, then turned and jogged out of the command center, racing down to the base's parking garage where his vehicle was waiting for him.

"Commander?" Jack put in, the other members of B-Squad looking to him. "What about us?"

"Unless Omega Ranger cannot handle the situation himself, you won't be deployed," Cruger replied with some reluctance. "If this were simply a squad of Krybots, I would have no problem with sending you out even without your Ranger powers, but against foes like this a non-morphing-capable Ranger would have no chance of victory. Therefore, you are only to join the fight if there is no other option." His eyes swept over the Rangers. "Is that clear?"

All five cadets were clearly hesitant, but all five ultimately conceded reluctantly.

"Good." Cruger nodded, returning his focus to the surveillance hologram.

Z and Jack exchanged a glance, the Yellow Ranger looking particularly worried. "C'mon, Sam," she murmured, looking back to the hologram. "You've got this."

* * *

Goldar laughed, hurling another fireball after a group of fleeing humans. The blast knocked a few of them off their feet, but his aim had been off and he'd missed the actual group.

"Pathetic!" the alien warrior cackled, tilting back his head and howling in laughter. "I thought humans might have gotten a little tougher after all these years, but they're just as weak as they always were!"

"You can say that again," Scorpina replied with a chuckle, swinging her sword in an arc: a line of golden light followed in its wake, slicing through several nearby trees and sending them toppling to the ground. "It's sad, really. You'd think they would have improved over time." She shrugged. "It's probably for the best that Lord Thrax and his new allies will be putting this planet to the torch once the Rangers are gone, then. Not like many people in the larger galaxy will miss it."

"I'm just annoyed that Lord Thrax got to take out six of this planet's last Ranger team without us." Golder grinned predatorily, unleashing another fireball that shattered a decorative fountain. "Luckily there's still one left, apparently, so we should hopefully get a decent fight out of him." He smacked one fist into the opposite palm, his eyes burning eagerly. "I could definitely use one."

"Oh, trust me, I know," Scorpina deadpanned. "You never shut up about it." She watched as he strode past her and tossed out several more fireballs at random, her mind wandering back to the events that had led them here.

Goldar and Scorpina had been working together ever since the day the Alliance of Evil was destroyed more than twenty-five years earlier, with their former masters Rita and Zedd being among the many infamous villains whose dark power had been obliterated that day. Fortunately, the two of them had been far away from the battlegrounds where the rest of their allies had fallen, having been assigned by Rita and Zedd to watch over their young son Thrax. Thrax had been just a baby at the time, born shortly after Rita and Zedd had left Earth, and Scorpina had served as his caretaker while his parents had gone off to join the Alliance. Goldar, meanwhile, had been at Zedd's side during most of the battle, but had been sent back to join Scorpina when word came that the Power Rangers were heading for Earth, as Zedd and Rita had wanted to have some extra protection on hand to make sure Thrax would be safe.

Luckily, the shielded bunker that Rita and Zedd had created as a hiding place for their son, located beneath their old palace on Earth's Moon, had been sufficient to keep Thrax and his two protectors safe. As a result, the trio had been the only members of the Alliance to survive the energy wave created by Zordon's sacrifice, which had obliterated both Rita and Zedd's armies and their formerly-evil personalities. Unfortunately, however, Goldar and Scorpina had then found themselves alone in the universe, lost and abandoned without anyone else to help them. Forced to flee their sanctuary, they had traveled the stars for the next fifteen years, but they had raised Thrax into a fearsome warlord, worthy of his parents' legacy… until that had all come crashing down when Thrax had the misfortune of crossing paths with the Sentinel Knight, and was sealed away in a Space Dumpster just as his mother had been so long ago. He'd been trapped there for almost a decade, with Goldar and Scorpina powerless to free him, until his growing powers had finally been able to overcome the sealing magic of the container and had allowed him to break free.

Now, the two villains had finally returned to the world they'd failed to conquer so many times, determined to help Thrax succeed where his parents had failed.

_And once that's done, maybe we can – what?_ Scorpina was snapped out of her thoughts by the sudden whine of a siren, accompanied by the rumble of a powerful engine. She turned and immediately grinned, her eyes narrowing as she realized that the moment they'd been waiting for had arrived. "Goldar!" she called to her companion, nodding over towards the source of the noise as he turned around. "Here he comes."

Sam, the Omega Ranger, leapt off his Uniforce Cycle and strode towards the villainous pair, his helmeted gaze sweeping over each of them in turn. "S.P.D.!" he called out challengingly, his voice echoing through the park. "You're under arrest!"

"Oh, are we?" Scorpina called back, smirking as she folded her arms over her chest. "Well, that's a nice change of pace: all the Rangers in the old days wanted was to destroy us. But as far as I'm concerned, that just means you don't have the stomach for fighting that they did." She glanced over to Goldar. "Shall we take him together, or would you like to go first?"

"Allow me," Goldar rumbled, cracking his knuckles and grinning predatorily as his eyes locked on Sam. "I haven't gotten to pulverize a Ranger for twenty-five years: I could use a good workout before we finish this." Snarling, he charged, barreling down the hill towards Sam with a savage war cry. The Omega Ranger responded in kind, racing forwards to intercept him: he ducked under Goldar's first punch and tried to sweep the alien's legs, but Goldar blocked the kick with his own, catching Sam's wrist as he followed up with a punch. He spun around and flung the white-clad Ranger away across the grass, before charging after him with a wild laugh.

"Boys will be boys," Scorpina murmured, rolling her eyes as she strolled down the hill after the battling pair.

* * *

"This is bad," Jack muttered as he watched the surveillance feed of Sam brawling with Goldar: the alien and the Ranger were going at it hammer and tongs, each giving as good as they got, sparks flying each time one of them landed a blow. "He's keeping up with that guy for now, but if one of them's giving him this much trouble, he won't be able to handle them both." He pointed to the image of Scorpina, who was standing back at a distance with a relaxed attitude and letting Goldar do the fighting for her. "So as soon as she gets involved, he'll be screwed."

"Unless we help," Sydney agreed. She looked up urgently at Cruger and Kat. "C'mon, Commander, we've gotta get out there and help him! He needs us!"

"He's right, sir," Kat admitted soberly. "Omega Ranger can't handle those two on his own."

Cruger frowned deeply, his eyes narrowed contemplatively. "But without their Ranger powers –"

"With all due respect, sir," Sky put in, "we do have powers even without our Morphers." He indicated himself and the rest of B-Squad with a wave of his hand. "The five of us were fighters with abilities beyond those of normal humans long before we became Rangers. We didn't back down from a fight before we could morph." He shook his head. "We're not going to start now." The other four Rangers nodded in agreement.

Seeing the determination on their faces, Cruger finally nodded. "Very well," he conceded. "Go, Rangers!"

" _Yes, sir!_ " the Rangers chorused, saluting in unison before rushing out of the Command Center.

"I hope they're right about this," Kat muttered.

"So do I," Cruger replied.

* * *

Sam twisted out of the way of a downward swing of Goldar's sword, spinning around the alien's strike and landing a solid hit to his chest. However, this let him get in close, and Goldar countered with a vicious kick to the gut, knocking the wind out of the Omega Ranger.

"Ah!" Sam grunted and staggered, falling to one knee, and Goldar grinned as he raised his sword high and brought it down in a full-force strike aimed at the Ranger's head. It never connected, however, as Sam's left hand shot up, catching the blade and holding it back. Goldar's eyes widened in surprise as the metal of his sword groaned in protest.

Sam flung Goldar's arm aside and slammed an open-palmed strike into the alien's chest, knocking him flat on his back. A green glow radiated from his hand, the visible sign of his Omega Morpher's special Muscle Mode. He'd activated it just in time to block Goldar's strike, amplifying his physical strength many times over, but that power-up was only temporary.

"What the hell?" Goldar growled as he picked himself up. His eyes narrowed, his fangs grinding together. "I don't know how you did that, little man… but you're going to pay!" Snarling, he lunged at Sam again, but this time the Omega Ranger was expecting it. Taking a step back, he smoothly adjusted his morpher's energy output, the green glow fading and shifting into a blue one.

" _Omega Morpher: Hyper Mode!_ " Calling out the words, he drew back his left fist and struck in an instant, his arm dissolving into a blur of motion as he created a pulse of energy that slowed down time for a second, making him seem much faster than he normally was.

Goldar's charge was abruptly interrupted: his sword was tugged aside with a casual twist of Sam's arm, and the Omega Ranger followed up with a furious barrage of punches, hammering up and down Goldar's chest and stomach, his fist flashing in and out like a jackhammer.

As the instant of hyperfast motion passed and the normal flow of time resumed, sparks erupted from Goldar's torso as dozens of impacts slammed into him simultaneously. He was hurled backwards again, sent sprawling to the grass and tumbling head-over-heels, a string of garbled curses trailing in his wake.

"Gotcha," Sam panted, grinning beneath his helmet as he straightened up, the burst of energy dissipating. "Nice try. Now –" A moment later, his quip was abruptly cut off by a scream of pain as a blast of burning golden energy hit him square in the back, knocking him flat on his face.

Scorpina smirked, lowering her sword. "Nice try yourself, Ranger," she drawled.

"The hell did you do that for?" Goldar spat, coughing as he picked himself up. "I had him!"

"Sure you did," she returned with a knowing smirk. "Lord Thrax's orders were very clear: personal glory is irrelevant. All that matters is destroying the Rangers."

"Fine," Goldar muttered, dusting himself off. "Let's finish this."

Just as they both turned towards Sam's body, another chorus of sirens echoed through the park. Goldar and Scorpina both turned, eyes widening in surprise, to see a cluster of vehicles barreling towards them: a black-and-white Jeep and three motorcycles, all emblazoned with the S.P.D. insignia.

"Oh, great," Scorpina drawled. "The cavalry's here."

"Fine by me," Goldar intoned as he started towards the incoming vehicles. Scorpina fell into step beside him, idly twirling her sword in one hand.

* * *

"C'mon, guys!" Jack hollered over the roar of his red-marked motorcycle's engine as he accelerated across the park towards the scene. "Let's do this!" Bridge and Sky were on his left and right, riding their own cycles, while Z and Syd brought up the rear in the Jeep, Z driving while Syd leaned out the passenger's side with her blaster drawn and ready.

As soon as the cadets got close enough, they opened fire. Sky and Syd both drew their handheld blasters, while Jack and Bridge used the higher-powered lasers built into their cycles. Bolts of red, green and blue light screamed through the air towards Goldar and Scorpina, tearing up the ground around them. Scorpina dodged and weaved through the fire, deflecting a few bolts with her sword, while Goldar just charged straight towards the Rangers, taking a couple of hits but barely breaking stride.

"Go to hell!" Goldar roared. Golden flames erupted in his free hand and he flung his arm out, launching a volley of fireballs that detonated all around the three cycles. Jack and Bridge were able to weave through the explosions, but Sky wasn't so fortunate, and one of the explosions blew him clear off his bike, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"Ow," he muttered, rolling over onto his back… before his eyes widened in alarm as he saw Goldar standing over him, sword swinging down at him. _Crap!_ Thinking fast, he raised his arm and swung it in a circle: crackling blue electricity followed in its wake, manifesting a circular force field between them. Goldar's sword rebounded off of it, sending a jolt of energy up the alien's arm and drawing an irritated snarl. Sky used the opportunity to hastily roll out of reach, scrambling back to his feet and lunging back in. He threw a kick, but Goldar easily deflected it with one of his own, spinning Sky off his feet.

"You're finished, Ranger!" Goldar snarled, forming another blast of fire and launching it at Sky. The Blue Ranger reacted quickly, forming another force field between them: Goldar's blast slammed into it, pulsing and crackling violently as the energy rapidly built up, until it reached a crescendo. Finally, the power burst outwards in a violent, blue-and-gold explosion, blasting both of them apart. Goldar skidded twenty feet backwards, his feet tearing up the grass; Sky, on the other hand, was sent flying head-over-heels, his world spinning uncontrollably, until he crashed to the ground in a half-conscious heap.

* * *

Jack and Bridge went straight for Scorpina, firing simultaneously, but she leapt over the volley of red-and-green lasers and unleashed twin streams of golden lightning from her sword. The lightning struck both of their bikes simultaneously, flipping them into the air: Jack and Bridge barely had enough time to jump clear, backflipping to safety.

Bridge landed hard, scrambling to his feet as Scorpina stalked towards him. He yanked off one of his gloves, his hand glowing green as he activated his own powers. As he raised his hand, he saw Scorpina suddenly haloed in green, a translucent duplicate of her lunging at him and lashing out with two quick swings of her sword. A moment later, the real Scorpina did the same, but thanks to his powers he already knew what she was going to do and easily sidestepped both of her attacks, grabbing her extended arm and using her momentum to flip her forwards off her feet.

Unfortunately, Scorpina was still stronger and faster than he was, so even his precognition wasn't quite fast enough. Even as she hit the ground, she lashed out with a sweep of her arm that took his feet out from under him. He immediately tried to scramble back to his feet, but Scorpina's hand closed around his ankle before he could get up, swinging him around and flinging him away across the grass. As he tumbled to a halt and rolled to his feet, she unleashed another bolt of lightning that sent him flying, and this time he didn't get back up.

"Bridge!" Jack's eyes widened in dismay as he charged Scorpina, his sidearm already drawn and firing several bolts of blue electricity. Again, though, Scorpina's reflexes were faster, and her sword promptly blurred into motion, parrying and deflecting each bolt as it came at her.

"Nice try, little boy," she taunted as Jack lunged at her, easily deflecting his punches and kicks without much effort. "But you'll have to do better than that!" She struck back, a lightning-fast backhand that should have knocked him sprawling – but her eyes widened in shock as her arm actually phased straight through Jack's body, the attack missing completely. She was so surprised that Jack's next attack connected, a solid kick to her stomach that sent her staggering backwards.

"Surprised?" Jack grinned breathlessly and sprang after her, hoping to keep up the offensive. His body phased right through hers as she swung back at him, and he spun around as he emerged behind her, one arm sliding around her neck and the other twisting one of her arms back as he locked her in a chokehold.

Scorpina, however, wasn't deterred: she just flicked her sword up so the flat of the blade connected with Jack's arm, then sent a surge of electricity up the blade. The sudden shock forced Jack to let go with a cry of pain, and she promptly grabbed his arm with her now-free hand and flipped him over her shoulder, slamming him down flat on his back. One casual stomp onto his stomach knocked the wind out of him, and he collapsed, gasping for air.

"So pointless," Scorpina remarked, shrugging as she turned and walked off towards the area where Goldar was battling with the last two members of B-Squad.

* * *

Sydney and Z had been forced to jump out of their Jeep when one of Goldar's fireballs had blown out a tire. Undeterred, they'd charged straight into combat, ducking and weaving around the hulking alien in a superb display of teamwork. Unfortunately, due to Goldar's armor and his natural durability, their attacks weren't having much of an effect on him.

When Z spotted Scorpina strolling towards them, idly twirling her sword in one hand, she knew they had to pull out all the stops. "Syd, you take care of her!" she called out. "I've got this one!" Syd nodded and broke away from Golder, racing off to intercept Scorpina.

"Oh, really?" Goldar sneered, barking out a grating laugh. "You think you can take me on alone, little Ranger?"

"Well, that's where you're wrong," Z retorted, grinning. "I'm _never_ alone." Her eyes flashed briefly, and two identical duplicates of herself promptly materialized out of thin air, one on either side of her. All three entered fighting stances and charged with a chorus of yells, whirling around Goldar like a swarm of bees and attacking him from all sides.

Scorpina chuckled as Syd charged at her, her sword rising to guard position. "Oh, please," she snickered, her blade flashing out in a lightning-fast strike… one that was cut off with a ringing _clang_ of metal on metal as Syd caught the blade in her left hand, which had shifted from flesh into steel.

" _Fist of Iron,_ " Sydney bit out, her eyes narrowed as her metal hand clenched around the blade. She yanked hard on the sword, pulling Scorpina in closer, and let go of the blade just in time to land a solid hit to her opponent's face, snapping Scorpina's head back with a crack. Without pausing, she swept the alien's legs out from under her and kicked her in the chest in two quick movements, knocking Scorpina flat on her back.

"Well?" Syd taunted, poised and ready in front of her downed enemy. "How do you like me now?"

Scorpina hissed in pain as she picked herself up, blood trickling from her nose. "You little _bitch_ ," she snarled, golden lightning crackling up and down the blade of her sword.

Syd's eyes widened. _Oh crap –_

Before the Pink Ranger could get out of the way, Scorpina screamed in rage and flung out her arm, an arc of lightning blasting from the tip of her sword and hitting Sydney square in the chest. She was blown off her feet, hair standing on end, and was hurled at least ten yards back before her half-conscious body hit the ground and rolled to a stop.

"Syd!" Z's real body shouted, her eyes wide in horror as she saw her teammate go down. She managed to take one step in Syd's direction before Goldar was on her. His hand clamped around her arm and dragged her into a solid knee strike to her gut, before he contemptuously flung her away.

Undeterred, Z's duplicates leapt in to attack from behind, but Goldar was ready this time and landed a solid elbow strike to each of their stomachs, before spinning around and grabbing each of them by their throats. "So weak," he snarled, tossing both duplicates after the real Z: they dissolved and faded out of existence as they hit the ground beside her.

From start to finish, the last stand of the S.P.D. B-Squad had lasted less than five minutes. All six Rangers were down, battered and half-conscious.

Scorpina and Goldar had sustained some minor damage from the fight, but both aliens were still on their feet. "Well, that was fun," Scorpina declared as they reconvened, wiping the blood away from her injured nose and sending a scowl at Syd's fallen body. "But I think it's time we put an end to this."

"I agree," Goldar growled. "Rangers or not, they're still a nuisance. Let's end this now!" He raised a hand, crackling golden energy forming above it: Scorpina did the same, letting their combined power merge into a roaring ball of golden fire and lightning.

* * *

"No!" Kat cried out, her eyes wide in horror as she watched the scene on the Command Center's monitors. "They can't!"

Cruger felt the same numbing horror creeping through his mind. Images of Sirius, of his comrades falling and dying around him, flashed through his memories.

"Come on, guys!" Boom muttered under his breath, the same terrified expression on his face. "You've gotta get up! Please!"

* * *

"Now!" Goldar roared, his bloodred eyes blazing with malice. "Let the legacy of the Power Rangers be destroyed!"

At that exact moment, a bolt of yellow light struck the growing fireball above their upraised hands, and it detonated prematurely. Both Goldar and Scorpina staggered as the blast they'd been charging dissipated harmlessly into the air.

"What?!" Goldar's eyes widened. "Who _dares_ to interfere?!"

"That would be me!" a female voice called from behind him, echoing through the now-deserted park.

Goldar and Scorpina both whirled around, their eyes widening as they saw the person who had spoken. The fallen S.P.D. Rangers also turned to face the voice as best they could.

"Who the hell…?" Scorpina took a step back, raising her sword defensively.

Standing a few yards away from the pair of villains was a figure clad in the unmistakable suit of a Yellow Power Ranger. But this Ranger's suit was different from Z's: the yellow was mixed with diamond-shaped white patches along the limbs and torso, as well as the insignia of a three-toed reptilian foot in the center of the chest. Her helmet was different too, vaguely birdlike in design instead of the standard S.P.D. look.

"Whoa," Z breathed, her eyes wide in amazement.

"Another one?!" Goldar snarled.

"Oh, yeah," the Yellow Ranger declared, chuckling softly. "Although, spoiler warning: there isn't just _one_ of us."

" _Hiiii–yah!_ " a second female voice rang out, as a streak of blue light shot towards Goldar. A razor-sharp blade sliced across his side, drawing a roar of pain, before the figure dissolved into a blur of motion, running circles around him, laying into him from all sides and leaving chips and cuts in his armor at every turn. After a couple of seconds, the blue streak leapt away from him and landed a few yards away on the other side of the villainous pair, before coalescing into the form of a second Ranger, this one garbed in a light blue suit with the symbol of a stylized dolphin's tail emblazoned on her chest and holding a gleaming sword in one hand. "Let the games begin!" she laughed.

"I don't believe it…" Sky whispered.

Scorpina's eyes narrowed as she swung around in the direction of the new arrival. She raised her sword to launch a blast of lightning, but a flash of red light to her right drew her attention a moment before a chain of small but powerful explosions raced across the ground towards her, tearing up the earth around her feet and knocking her sprawling to the ground next to Goldar. Cursing, she rolled over and pushed herself up, only to stop short when her eyes fell on her attacker: another Ranger, this one wearing a red suit with his helmet styled to resemble the head of a large cat and the symbol of a roaring golden lion on his chest. He was holding a short, dagger-like saber with a glowing red crystal embedded in the hilt. "You won't be hurting anyone else today!" he declared, pointing the sword at her.

"What the hell?" Jack murmured as he sat up.

"Scorpina!" Goldar took a few quick steps towards his ally, until a blast of pink light slammed into the ground behind him with a thunderous explosion and knocked him flat on his face. Growling as he rolled over, he lifted his head to see the person who'd launched that attack: a fourth Ranger, this one dressed in pink with a golden V-shaped insignia on her belt, holding an oversized, long-barreled energy blaster.

"Looks like you're out of time!" the newcomer remarked dryly, racking her blaster with a whine as she started charging up another shot. "I'd give up if I were you."

"Wow," Syd managed, still gasping for air as she tried to catch her breath.

Goldar and Scorpina clambered back to their feet, glaring around at the four Rangers who'd seemingly appeared out of nowhere to surround them. "Oh, _come on!_ " Scorpina snapped angrily. "Any more of you little bastards want to come crawling out of the woodwork?!"

At that exact moment, a high-pitched whistling sound reached everyone's ears, and a crackling bolt of emerald lightning hit the ground right between Goldar and Scorpina, igniting a tremendous explosion. Both villains were blasted off their feet, hurled into the air by the shockwave and tumbling to the ground. They rolled over again, coughing as they tried to catch their breath… only to freeze as they saw the individual who'd fired that shot.

This Ranger was dressed in green, with gleaming golden highlights: his suit had an old-fashioned design to it that made him resemble some kind of ancient knight. He held a weapon lightly in one hand, a gleaming dark broadsword that hung lightly in one hand. A faint wisp of smoke was still rising from the blade, suggesting that it was where the blast had originated.

"Just one," the Green Ranger stated as he strode towards the pair of downed aliens, his tone calm and conversational. "Goldar. Scorpina. It's been a long time."

Bridge's jaw dropped. "No _way_ ," he breathed incredulously, recognizing that Ranger suit instantly from his history lessons.

Both villains' expressions had shifted from shock to a combination of fear and hatred. " _You?!_ " Goldar snarled, his voice filled with a boiling rage.

"Me," the Green Ranger confirmed, a note of amusement in his voice. "It's been a long time since I wore this color, but it seemed appropriate for this."

By this point, Sam was back on his feet, and the Omega Ranger quickly set to work helping his companions back up as well. The battered S.P.D. cadets gathered together, forming a second defensive line behind the Green Ranger.

"You don't scare us," Scorpina snapped as she clambered to her feet, glaring defiantly at the Green Ranger. "We've dealt with you before."

"Yeah, you have. Many times." The Green Ranger nodded and chuckled softly as his teammates moved to flank him, the five new Rangers standing protectively in front of the S.P.D. team. "And I think you both know how this dance always ended back in the day."

Goldar and Scorpina traded wary glances, eyeing the newly-reinforced group of Rangers. They were both still angry, but they clearly knew that they were outmatched.

"This isn't over," Scorpina warned. She raised her sword over her head, and both she and Goldar teleported away in a flash of golden light.

The Green Ranger nodded in satisfaction. "That's what I thought." He sighed and glanced over to his companions, who returned his nod. "All right, guys."

" _Power Down!_ " Five voices called out in unison, and the five Rangers' suits dematerialized in a flare of multicolored light, revealing the people underneath as they turned to face the S.P.D. team.

The Yellow Ranger, a beautiful brunette girl dressed casually in a yellow top, a dark jacket and ripped black jeans, exchanged a smile with the Blue Ranger, a blonde girl in a form-fitting black bodysuit with blue highlights. The Red Ranger, a roughly-dressed and unshaven young man with shoulder-length black hair, grinned cheerfully over at the Pink Ranger, a dark-haired girl dressed in a black leather jacket, a pink tank top and black pants, who rolled her eyes and returned his offered high-five.

But the S.P.D. cadets' eyes were all drawn to the man in the center, the Green Ranger, as his suit melted away to reveal the man beneath the helmet. He appeared to be in his forties, with short, spiky brown hair and an attitude of calm, absolute confidence, as if nothing could possibly worry him.

"It can't be," Sky managed to get out, his mouth hanging open at the sight of the man who was quite possibly Earth's most famous Power Ranger.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," the leader of the new Rangers said with a friendly smile as he stepped forward in front of his team. "My name's Tommy Oliver. Don't worry; we're here to help."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, let's address the biggest thing in this chapter: the introduction of my team of Legacy Rangers. Since this version of "Once a Ranger" takes place during S.P.D. instead of during Operation Overdrive, I chose Rangers from the four seasons prior to S.P.D.: namely, Dino Thunder (Kira), Ninja Storm (Tori), Wild Force (Cole), and Time Force (Jen). Choosing Kira and Tori was my nod to the canon episode, as those two were on the Legacy team in Overdrive, while I went with Cole and Jen because they seemed like the best choices from their respective seasons for something like this. Finally, I went with Tommy rather than Adam as the team leader, because while I do love Adam's character, having Tommy be the leader of the Legacy Rangers felt like it would fit really well, especially given his more personal past history with Rita and Zedd. And yes, Tommy is wearing his Green Ranger suit from Mighty Morphin: initially I went with his White Ranger suit, but I eventually decided to change it to Green, as it was his first-ever Ranger color and has more of a personal connection to Rita and Zedd, so it felt like the best fit for this team-up.
> 
> Next chapter, we get some interactions between the two teams of Rangers, and Thrax reacts to the news that his parents' greatest enemy is now active on Earth, before putting the next phase of his plan into action.
> 
> Stay tuned! :)


End file.
